1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to disposable product applicators and a dispensing package therefor, and more particularly to hand-held, generally T-shaped disposable product applicators capable of being stacked with their handle portions in telescoped relationship and a package adapted to contain a stack of the applicators and to dispense them one at a time.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior art workers have developed various types of hand-held applicators, both reusable and disposable in nature. By way of example, Crawford U.S. Pat. No. 2,964,772 dated Dec. 20, 1960 teaches a resilient, T-shaped applicator for polishes, powders, creams and the like. T-shaped scouring pads are taught in Perkovich U.S. Pat. No. 3,097,387 dated July 16, 1963 and Perkovich et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,104,915 dated Sept. 24, 1963. Chase U.S. Pat. No. 1,791,351 dated Feb. 3, 1931 describes a stack of applicator pads or powder puffs for applying powder, rouge or the like. The pads are connected about their periphery and provided with a pull tab. The pads may be removed from the stack one-by-one.
Ebert et al U.S. Pat. No. 2,012,500 dated Aug. 27, 1935 teaches a hand-held, T-shaped manipulator for scouring pads. The manipulator is resilient and is provided with means by which it may be engaged with a scouring pad to serve as a handle therefor. Cleaves U.S. Pat. No. 2,048,103 dated July 21, 1936 illustrates a somewhat T-shaped flexible holder for a bag containing shoe polish.
Prior art workers have devised various types of stackable T-shaped applicators. One such applicator is taught in Anderson et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,131,410 dated May 5, 1964. In accordance with this patent, the T-shaped applicator is made stackable by virtue of the fact that its handle portion is foldable downwardly against the body of the applicator, rendering the applicator substantially flat and disc-shaped. In commonly owned copending U.S. application Ser. No. 668,253, filed in the name of John G. Mast and entitled A DISPOSABLE PRODUCT APPLICATOR AND DISPENSING PACKAGE THEREFOR, there is taught a resilient T-shaped applicator the disc-like body portion of which is foldable against itself so that the applicator will take on a flat, stackable configuration.
Prior art workers have devised packages for stacks of articles and having dispensing openings intended to enable the removal of one article at a time. By way of example, Ames U.S. Pat. No. 1,842,442 dated Jan. 26, 1932 teaches a cosmetic compact containing a stack of applicator pads. The compact has an opening therein so configured as to permit release of one pad at a time. Means are also provided to advance the stack of pads toward the dispensing opening. Hanna U.S. Pat. No. 1,671,285 dated May 29, 1928 describes a package for tablets, the discharge end of which is provided with a retaining member which holds the uppermost tablet of the stack in position to be manually removed laterally of the package. Eisner U.S. Pat. No. 3,620,412 dated Nov. 16, 1971 teaches an elongated package for storing resilient elements in a stack. The package has at one end a lipped edge which will permit the passage of the elements contained within the package. The elements are held in compressed configuration by a flexible, distortable closure which will not pass through the lipped edge unless appropriately distorted. Finally, Nordskog U.S. Pat. No. 3,717,282 dated Feb. 20, 1973 sets forth an elongated cylindrical dispenser for a stack of beverage cans. Means are provided to advance the stack toward the open end of the dispenser. The open end of the dispenser is provided with a retaining lip against which the uppermost can of the stack is held. The uppermost can may be shifted out from under the retaining lip and removed from the stack whereupon the next can of the stack will be engaged by the retaining lip.
The present invention provides hand-held, T-shaped disposable product applicators far simpler in construction than those hitherto known. As a consequence, the applicators can be readily and economically produced. The applicators are of novel dish-shaped configuration with hollow handle elements such that the applicators may be stacked with their handle elements in telescoped relationship. This results in significant packing volume reduction and the stacking arrangement permits the applicators to be spaced such that the product applying surface on each does not contact the applicator therebeneath, thus preventing product transfer.
The container of the present invention is adapted to receive a stack of the applicators and enables a number of applicators to be compactly stored and readily dispensed. Each applicator is dispensed with its handle portion foremost.